Bazan began his musical career by playing drums in the band The Guilty (later named Coolidge) with fellow songwriter Damien Jurado in 1995. Bazan had attended Shorewood High School with Jurado. In 2002, he played drums and sang backup vocals for Seldom; in 2004, he played with Starflyer 59. Bazan has made various studio appearances with Seattle-based bands; for instance, he played drums in 1998 on Unwed Sailor's Firecracker EP, and contributed to the Rosie Thomas album These Friends of Mine.
Bazan was part of The Undertow Orchestra with Mark Eitzel (American Music Club), Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), Vic Chesnutt, and Scott Danbom (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel). They toured the USA and Europe in 2006.Bazan is a personal friend of comedian Horatio Sanz, and performed at Sanz's 2006 Christmas show, The Ho-Ho-Horatio Christmas Special, at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. In 2007 he did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session.
Bazan recorded his first solo project, the EP Fewer Moving Parts, in between touring as a member of The Undertow Orchestra. The EP was released on 13 June 2006. Bazan recently finished a nationwide solo tour featuring Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and Johnathan Rice and also contributed a cover of the song "Let Down" to Stereogum's "OK X" project, a tribute to the Radiohead album OK Computer. A full length debut album with his new band "David Bazan's Black Cloud" is in the works for early 2009; it will be released by Barsuk Records.
On September 5, during an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Bazan mentioned his next album will be played entirely by him and he will recruit friends to play live when he tours. The album, 'Curse Your Branches,' will be released in the spring and may include, "Please, Baby, Please," a song he debuted during the interview. During his solo tour in September, Bazan has been playing seven new songs that will appear on his new album: "Please, Baby, Please", "Weeds in the Wheat", "Curse Your Branches", "American Flags", "Broken Arm", "The Stitches" and "Harmless Sparks."
A hidden page on Bazan's website was found by fans detailing an upcoming DVD release. The DVD is said to be interviews, intimate live performances filmed in his home studio, on his front porch, and while driving around in his Ford Bronco, Shot during two weekends in June and July in Seattle, WA.
On October 28th, 2008 Bazan released the album version of "American Flags" on his Facebook and Myspace pages in celebration of the 2008 election. It was made available for purchase on iTunes and other online vendors on November 4th, along with the version of "Please, Baby, Please" recorded for the DVD.
In 2017 Bazan reformed his band Pedro the Lion.
Oblivion
David Bazan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oblivion
Can you find the frequency
While the specters hover whispering
Yeah, I guess you probably could
If you were really any good
But then the dollar broke
Hello again
Oblivion
But it's no good to complain
Of fatigue and existential pain
On a six-week solo drive
While your friends work nine-to-five
What really threw me off
Is that all these years I thought
I'd work it out
Did you sing it like it is
Cause you'd really thought it'd pack 'em in
Cause your kids are growing up
And you still don't make enough
Hold onto what you've got
Though it may not be a lot
Cause now is not the time for second thoughts
You believe in it
Now it's time to follow through
You believe in it
What does that say about you?
The song Oblivion by David Bazan seems to be about the struggle to find meaning and purpose in a life that is often consumed by work and routine. The song opens with the singer addressing 'Oblivion,' which could be interpreted as an impersonal force of the universe that brings about a sense of meaninglessness or even the possibility of death. The singer then asks if it's possible to find a frequency and tune into it, as if searching for some transcendental significance. However, the singer also acknowledges the presence of 'specters' that hover and whisper, reminding him that he may not be able to find what he's looking for after all. The line "you sold yourself a trope, but then the dollar broke" is particularly interesting as it suggests that the pursuit of money or material goods is ultimately fruitless and even dangerous.
Later in the song, the singer reflects on the fact that he's been driving solo for six weeks, while his friends work nine-to-five jobs. He seems to suggest that living a different kind of life, free from the shackles of the traditional working world, has brought about its own kind of fatigue and existential pain. He then laments the fact that he's been working towards something for years, but has failed to find any answers. The line "did you sing like it is cause you'd really thought it'd pack 'em in" could be interpreted as a critique of the music industry, or of art in general, which often valorizes authenticity and emotional truth but can also be a kind of commodity.
Overall, Oblivion seems to be a song about the struggle to find meaning in a world that is often indifferent or hostile to our desires. The singer seems to suggest that there are no easy answers, but that the only way forward is to keep believing in something and to follow through on that belief, no matter how difficult it may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello again
Addressing Oblivion (a metaphor for death) for the second time
Oblivion
A metaphor for death
Can you find the frequency
Asking if it's possible to understand death
While the specters hover whispering
While ghosts or death still linger in the background
Yeah, I guess you probably could
Acknowledging that some people may be able to understand death
If you were really any good
Suggesting that it takes great skill or understanding to comprehend death
You sold yourself a trope
You bought into a cliched or overused idea
But then the dollar broke
But then you were hit by economic hardship
But it's no good to complain
It's not productive to constantly lament about life's difficulties
Of fatigue and existential pain
Of exhaustion and the deep questioning of life's purpose
On a six-week solo drive
During a long period of solitude and introspection
While your friends work nine-to-five
While others stick to traditional employment
What really threw me off
What really surprised or confused me
Is that all these years I thought
Is that all these years I believed or considered
I'd work it out
I'd figure out or understand the meaning of life
Did you sing it like it is
Did you express the truth through your music
Cause you'd really thought it'd pack 'em in
Because you believed it would be popular or successful
Cause your kids are growing up
Because you need to support your family
And you still don't make enough
And you still don't earn a sufficient income
Hold onto what you've got
Appreciate and cherish what you have
Though it may not be a lot
Even if it's not much
Cause now is not the time for second thoughts
Because now is the time to stay committed and avoid second-guessing yourself
You believe in it
You have faith in your music or your art
Now it's time to follow through
Now it's time to put in the hard work and see it through
What does that say about you?
What does your perseverance and dedication say about who you are as a person?
Writer(s): David Shannon Bazan
Contributed by Lucas B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Justin Pruitt
Gotta love this guy. Dude looks like he would break your face in a bar fight... but all he does is break your heart.
Jake Shephard
Bazan is the man
Very Spoopy
Lemme get smore of this !